*Era of Constantine the Great (AD 306-337), bronze coin celebrating the founding of Rome.

*Era of Constantine the Great (AD 306-337), and shortly after, bronze coin, VRBS ROMA, head of the personification of the city of Rome, rev. Romulus and Remus suckled by the she-wolf.

Romulus & Remus

This coin was issued during the time of Constantine the Great (AD 306-337), and for a short time afterwards, and celebrates the foundation of the Roman empire.

In Roman mythology, the twins Romulus and Remus were the sons of the god Mars and a vestal virgin, Rhea Silvia. But Rhea was the daughter of a former local king, Numitor, which meant the boys might have a claim to the throne.

To prevent any threat to his own claim, the reigning king, Amulius, ordered that Romulus and Remus should be killed so the infants were abandoned to their fate, by the banks of the River Tiber. The twins were rescued by the god of the river and suckled by a she-wolf until they were taken in and brought up, by a shepherd, Faustulus. As adults, the twins did successfully take the throne but they argued between themselves and Remus was murdered either by his brother or one of his brother's supporters. Notwithstanding the murder, Romulus founded a great city in his kingdom, the eternal city of Rome.

The image of the wolf and twins is truly iconic in Roman art and was fundamentally bound to the origins of the empire in the mind of its subjects. This coin offers us a direct link to the history and mythology of Rome from a time when mythology was as real as history is today.